By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News





Morris Senior Center director Eloise Blankenship couldn’t be more pleased.

“I think they did great,” said Blankenship. “Everybody won something, and everybody qualified for the state games in Florence.”

Events at the district games, held Aug. 18-22 in Hoover and Trussville, ranged from sedentary activities like dominoes, checkers and card games, to activities like swimming, bowling, tennis and throwing baseballs, basketballs, Nerf balls and Frisbees.

The Masters Games are sponsored by the Jefferson County organizations Area Agency on Aging, Office of Senior Citizens Services (OSCS) and the Park and Recreation Department.

Seniors in Jefferson, Shelby, Chilton and Walker counties took part in the event.

The district games are held to select participants for the State Masters Games of Alabama, which will be held in Florence Oct. 7-9.

Thirteen seniors from Morris will be taking part in the state games.

Valerie Childers, with OSCS, said the county agencies sponsor the event in order to “help senior citizens stay active mentally and physically, while having fun.”

The Morris seniors who took part in the district games include Don Ault, Helen Bittle, Judy Dippenworth, Ruth Gore, Gloria Greening, Jessie Flye, Montez Jones, Ernestine Smith, Muriel Teske, Cindy Vest, Clif Poole, Louise Poole and the director, Blankenship.

Don Blankenship will serve as the driver for the seniors when they go to the state contest in October.

The seniors have been earning money for that trip.

In April the senior center hosted a Morris Country Fair. The seniors have also been making and selling fried pies.

All told, they have made $1,500, which will almost cover the $1,600 cost of the hotel rooms.